Might Mindfulness Be for YOU, Too?
Mindfulness–being in the moment and aware of your feelings and thoughts without judging–has been shown to lessen pain in veterans. Could it help you as well? A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine reported the efficacy of telehealth-delivered mindfulness-based interventions (MBI). Over 690 Veterans with chronic pain and psychiatric comorbidity completed a mindfulness-based intervention that produced a […]
News Briefs – NDNR
1. Cognitive Decline Associated with Certain Personality Traits Fom American Psychological Association People who are organized, with high levels of self-discipline, may be less likely to develop mild cognitive impairment as they age, while people who are moody or emotionally unstable are more likely to experience cognitive decline late in life, according to research published […]
New Plant Sterol May Lessen Anxiety
Razi Berry A natural food supplement reduces anxiety in mice, according to a new Weizmann Institute of Science study. The plant-derived substance, beta-sitosterol, was found to produce this effect both on its own and in synergic combination with an antidepressant known under the brand name Prozac. If these findings, published today in Cell Reports Medicine, […]
Stress and Anxiety Major Factors for People Not Exercising
Razi Berry New research from McMaster University suggests the pandemic has created a paradox where mental health has become both a motivator for and a barrier to physical activity. People want to be active to improve their mental health but find it difficult to exercise due to stress and anxiety, say the researchers who surveyed […]
Sleep is Crucial to Memory
Razi Berry When you slip into sleep, it’s easy to imagine that your brain shuts down, but University of Michigan research suggests that groups of neurons activated during prior learning keep humming, tattooing memories into your brain. U-M researchers have been studying how memories associated with a specific sensory event are formed and stored in […]
Depression, Anxiety, Loneliness Peaking in College Students
Razi Berry A survey by a Boston University researcher of nearly 33,000 college students across the country reveals the prevalence of depression and anxiety in young people continues to increase, now reaching its highest levels, a sign of the mounting stress factors due to the coronavirus pandemic, political unrest, and systemic racism and inequality. “Half […]
If Depressed or Anxious, Focus on Your Previous Successes in Life
Razi Berry The more chaotic things get, the harder it is for people with clinical anxiety and/or depression to make sound decisions and to learn from their mistakes. On a positive note, overly anxious and depressed people’s judgment can improve if they focus on what they get right, instead of what they get wrong, suggests […]
Post-COVID Stress Disorder
Sarah Cimperman, ND The COVID-19 pandemic has caused nearly 1.5 million deaths worldwide as of late November 2020.1 It’s also been the source of considerable suffering as people struggle with economic devastation, food insecurity, unemployment, workplace safety concerns, the loss of loved ones, and social isolation. Even after individuals infected with coronavirus recover, the psychological […]
“Prescribing” Outdoor Time Could Undermine Benefits
Razi Berry Spending time in nature is believed to benefit people’s mental health. However, new research suggests that giving people with existing mental health conditions formal ‘green prescriptions’, may undermine some of the benefits. An international research team led by the University of Exeter and published in the journal Scientific Reports, investigated whether contact with […]
Weighted Blankets May Help Your Sleep Problems
Razi Berry Weighted blankets are a safe and effective intervention in the treatment of insomnia, according to Swedish researchers who found that insomnia patients with psychiatric disorders experienced reduced insomnia severity, improved sleep and less daytime sleepiness when sleeping with a weighted chain blanket. Results of the randomized, controlled study Results of the randomized, controlled […]